


New Year's resolution

by PleasingNight



Category: Julius Caesar - Shakespeare
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen, Genderbending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-01-08
Packaged: 2019-10-06 20:16:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17351897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PleasingNight/pseuds/PleasingNight
Summary: Cassius on New Year’s Eve.This is inspired by NT Live: Julius Caesar (2018) - a modern AU, with Cassius and D. Brutus portrayed by Michelle Fairley and Leila Farzad.





	New Year's resolution

 

**Discord.**

Why sleepest thou, Cassius? Wake thee from thy dream -

And yet thou naught dost dream but blood and death,

For dreadful visions do affright thy sleep

And howling ghosts, with ghastly horrors, cry

“By Cassius’ hand must wicked Caesar die!”

__\- Caesar’s Revenge_ _

 

 

Cassius is out of focus. Contrary to her usual manner, she walks slowly, lost in thought - or rather, in daydreams. In the misty twilight, brightened only by fairy lights in shop windows, the world, blurry and uncertain, appears an unfinished work of art. Cassius finds it quite comfortable this way. Non-binding.

It is New Year’s Eve, and Cassius is expected at Brutus’ house, but later, later. She is tired. For now she can forget about everything and just rest. Just walk down the street, imagining things she wants to do in the new year. She’d learn a new language or several; maybe try herself in writing, like Casca and Brutus; definitely climb a nice high mountain. The mist is gentle and kind: it allows her to see nothing but the things she wishes for, and to be anyone she wishes to be.

Cassius nearly walks into a lamppost. Stopping herself two inches away, she sees large red letters right before her: _UNITY._ Cassius moves back a little and realizes she’s looking at a poster. _March of Unity… January 10… commemorate the salvation of the Fatherland… our Nation’s unanimous support of our great Leader Gaius Julius Caesar... we stand as one… crush anyone who threatens… forward to victory._ Obligatory portrait of Caesar, presumably showing the path to victory. Cassius smiles wryly. 

She can discern the same black and red poster on every lamppost ahead, their line turning with the street like the tail of a giant reptile. Just the tail, but it is enough for Cassius to remember of the dragon.

The world comes into focus all at once: pale sky, grey street, each branch and each red leaf on a maple tree nearby. Cassius takes a deep breath, feels her back straighten. Her fists clench, unclench, and clench again. She could be anyone, could do anything, but the dragon is here, and _this_ is the context for any actions she chooses. _Consider carefully, Cassius. You could leave now._ _There are things to like in a voluntary exile - hell, the very disconnection from Rome. Part of you longs for it._

Cassius watches a leaf drop from the tree, spinning in the air as it falls. It is scarlet like rage, like sense of danger, like the rush of adrenaline to your heart when you fight a river’s angry torrent with everything you have.

_You won’t leave, will you? Because it is not the tides or the position of the stars that you are about to fight. It is just a bunch of trash led by one power-hungry man. You can deal with that. You **know** what to do. And you cannot count on anyone else to cut off the dragon’s head. That’s who you are, Cassius: just the woman for the task. _

Cassius’ mind was only waiting for the signal. At once it is spinning fast, going through faces, voices, dossiers. _Some of these people will fulfill your plan, others will doom it. Choose._ Some of the faces fade, having appeared once or twice, some make Cassius frown with doubt, some are worth a try. _Could we get to somebody on the inside, I wonder? Somebody close to Caesar. Dissatisfied, ready to risk. Not Antony. With access to Caesar’s actual plans. Probably not Trebonius, as of late. Still, there has to be_ **_someone_ ** _..._

“Oh… I’m so sorry!” - a woman bumps right into Cassius, failing to notice her motionless figure in the dusk. “It’s alright” - Cassius assures automatically, still thinking about who she needs, and only then fixes her gaze on the woman’s face. Close before her, she sees the sparkling eyes of Decimus Brutus.

“Happy New Year” - Decimus says, gently squeezing Cassius’ hand.

Cassius smiles back: “Happy New Year”.

Decimus is gone, and Cassius closes her hand around the note sneaked into it. Is not it exciting when a person from Caesar’s inner circle chooses to communicate this way? Cassius won’t read the note here and now, but she already considers it a New Year’s gift.


End file.
